The Irish Post
December 14, 2013 | 15
The forum of the Irish in Britain TWEETS OF THE WEEK Popular quote account Great Minds Quotes, which has over two million followers, tweeted this the morning after the passing of Nelson Mandela. @GreatestQuotes “The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.” - Nelson Mandela
In a relatively downbeat Macro Financial Review, the Central Bank of Ireland warned that the lack of pace and effectiveness in dealing with the bad loans in the banks could stunt the ability of the economy to recover. It said the level of distress among small and medium borrowers was “particularly acute”. @YvonnecWhelan A realistic appraisal of Ireland’s economic conditions coming from central bank today @barrycallaghan2 Central Bank worried about mortgage arrears… THEIR [sic] WORRIED !!! ??????
The National University of Ireland, Galway, suspended the Legion of Mary — a religious student-based society — following allegations that they distributed homophobic leaflets on the college’s campus. Many responses on Twitter were negative about the Legion. Meanwhile, some users thought the university had impinged on freedom of speech by banning the group. @thought4day2 I despise the ideas of the “Legion of Mary Society” but they shouldn’t be banned. UNIs should defend #FreedomOfSpeech
In an interview with Rolling Stone magazine, former Oasis guitarist Noel Gallagher described Adele’s and Emeli Sandé’s music as being for ‘grannies’ and claimed Miley Cyrus deliberately tries to be provocative because her songs aren’t any good. His responses drew a big reaction on Twitter. @alansmith90 Noel Gallagher in Rolling Stone. Even if you don’t like his music, this is the funniest interview I’ve read in ages @Popjustice I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again, Noel Gallagher should charge for interviews and give his music away for free.
Meanwhile one Twitter user posted this lookalike picture of the High Flying Birds singer with the following message… @rubberrrsoul why does this Ken doll look like Noel Gallagher?
Write to: Letters page, The Irish Post, c/o Loot Limited, Suite A, 1 Lindsey Street, Smithfield, London EC1A 9HP, or fax us on 020 8900 4288. E-mail us on: editor@irishpost.co.uk The Editor reserves the right to edit all letters as applicable. Please keep your letters as brief as possible. The opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of The Irish Post.
British Government’s ‘disgusting’ denial over construction injuries HAVING worked in the industry from 1960 to 2008, I found your feature on the denial of benefits to construction workers with industrial injuries very interesting (Irish Post, November 30). In the latter years of my working life, Ireland’s HSE became alarmed by the number of muscular skeletal injuries exhibiting in construction workers, and introduced strict legislation regarding manual handling. It is disgusting that this Government now seeks to deny these conditions exist. What is also disgraceful is that men have to try to explain how they have been crippled by their work, to someone who has never picked up anything heavier than a pencil in their lives. Tony Hubbert Caerphilly, South Wales
Raised in Ireland but England still feels like home REGARDING the second generation question Am I Irish or English? I think it’s the human condition to want to identify and belong. My story is slightly different in as much as I was born in London, Hammersmith. I lived in Ealing, with mum’s side of the family all Irish from Cork and dad’s all English originating from Devon and Bristol. I had a very happy time in England but when I was eight we moved to Cork minus my dad. I was just me — I was English and never had any hassle. It probably went over my head but I also had a large Cork family so just got on with it. But I always felt different, not because I wanted to fit in and be Irish but because I felt English and missed home. I am 53 now and in a way the debate rages on. I have lived here since 1969, married, have three sons and yet part of me will always feel incomplete. Don’t get me wrong I love Ireland, I probably couldn’t live anywhere else no matter what I think, but when I go to England something clicks and it just feels right. It does feel like home, which brings me back to my first point — we need to belong — we need to nail our colours to the mast. I have come to the conclusion now if I’m asked whether I consider myself Irish or English, the answer truthfully is neither and both because at the end if the day we are the sum of all our parts. Caron Brady via email
As mass demolition looms, is one house too much to ask? FRANCIS KEEGAN writes in The Irish Post (Letters, November 30) that the so-called ghost estates are not habitable nor are they in areas where there are services, transport links etc and Francis asks us therefore to trust the Government in their actions. I was wrongly quoted saying the situation was a kick in the teeth to charities like ours which may have given the impression that the Aisling Project believed that an alternative usage for these properties could have been as resettlement homes for returned emigrants. We do not feel that the houses in question would necessarily be suitable for resettlement purposes, yet we do feel that the situation is deeply ironic when Aisling and groups like ours have been lobbying for years for supported housing to be made available to long-term emigrants who find it difficult to return home unaided. We have argued this case at every level of government for many years and have had a pretty stony response so far and are no further forward coming up to our 20th anniversary next year. We are not looking to occupy hundreds of abandoned concrete shells on the windblown edges of small towns but we are asking for assistance to fund a six-unit house in a large town where Irish men and women long in exile in Britain can be helped to return home in a safe and secure environment before
NO SUPPORT: How The Irish Post reported the story of those sufering work-related illnesses
moving on to independent living. Does it seem like too much to ask? Alex McDonnell Co-ordinator The Aisling Project
Intestate figures hint at lonely life of Irish emigrants WHILE recently perusing the British Government’s open data site (data.gov.uk), I came across the data set on those people who had died in Britain without leaving a will and with no obvious next-of-kin. Of particular interest to me were the Irish amongst that set. Of approximately 10,000 cases since 1998 around 500 were Irish — that’s around 5 per cent. Wikipedia states that around 1 per cent of the British population is Irish born according to the 2001 Census so, if you are Irish in Britain you are 500 per cent more likely to die intestate and without a next-of-kin than average. I suspect that this statistic hides many sad personal stories which will never see the light of day. One can only wonder at the stories these people took with them to the grave. Did they run away from home, did they suffer abuse as children and in later life find it impossible to share their lives with others? We will never know. Over 75 per cent were classified as bachelor, spinster or single compared to average British rates for this age group of only 20 per cent. For those emigrating to Britain back in the 1950s, it was not as easy to stay in touch with family and friends back home. Travel was more expensive, relatively speaking, and the telecommunications infrastructure was poorer. When people left Ireland the links (for many) with their homeland gradually eroded with time. I think it would be great if the Irish Government and our public bodies made a concerted and organised effort to make their data available to the public so that we can analyse and understand it and, ultimately, contribute to a more efficient and informed governance of this country. The data does give one food for thought. Aidan Connolly via email
Celts don’t fear independence REGARDING your story ‘Independent thinking: Why Celtic fans are wary of Scottish nationalism’ (www.irishpost.co.uk), the referendum should not be dragged down to what football team you support. Celtic fans on the whole are not at all wary about independence. I’m a Celtic fan and have hung pro independence banners at Celtic Park. The bill that criminalises people for singing IRA songs at Celtic Park is a farce and hasn’t
been helped by over-the-top policing but it won’t stop myself or any other Celtic fan I know from voting for independence. There’s plenty of disgust at the SNP for introducing this bill and including political songs merely as a counterbalance to the sectarian songs sung by Rangers but the SNP are not the only political show in town. The Referendum is not about the SNP, it’s about taking control of our own affairs. Neil Young via email
Fans’ display an affront YOUR article completely misses the whole purpose of the SNP and the forthcoming referendum, i.e. giving the people of Scotland an opportunity to be masters of their own destiny. The fact that a group of Celtic fans have a grievance and have decided to air it at football grounds around Scotland demonstrates a total lack of respect for the vast majority of Scottish nationals. To compare Bobby Sands to William Wallace was an act of intentional offence to the Scottish nation and an apology is overdue by Celtic FC. A large number of Irish Diaspora Celtic fans/political activists are getting media exposure disproportionate to their numbers. This saddens me and it would definitely cause divisions across Scotland as they will be seen as supporters of the establishment out to spike Scottish independence along with all the other Unionists. RF Davidson via email
‘Ghost’ club still going strong I READ with great interest John Collins’ superb article on ‘ghost’ clubs that have disappeared from the London GAA scene (Irish Post, November 23). On behalf of one of those clubs mentioned, the Jersey Irish GAA Club, I would like to say that we are very much alive and well. We celebrated our 20th anniversary this year over a glorious weekend in the summer. The highlight was a gala dinner for past and present players and supporters, with the legendary Mícheál Ó Muircheartaigh as guest of honour. Now affiliated to the European County Board, we were semi-finalists in the 2013 European County Championship in Athlone, losing to eventual winners Guernsey. 2012 saw Jersey Irish crowned both French and Channel Islands champions. We also have a strong and growing underage set-up with over 40 members. If anyone reading this with an interest in GAA find themselves in Jersey for any reason be sure to look us up. John Kiely Secretary Jersey Irish GAA
LETTERS QUOTES OF THE WEEK
“More than anyone, it was he who rebooted the idea of Africa from a continent in chaos to a much more romantic view, one in keeping with the majesty of the landscape and the nobility of even its poorer inhabitants.” Bono, who worked for long periods with Nelson Mandela, led the Irish tributes to the former President of South Africa who passed away last week. The U2 frontman wrote this in an essay on the late anti-apartheid revolutionary titled The Man Who Could Not Cry
“I won’t be involved in cooking Christmas dinner — I wouldn’t do that to my family. I love them too much.” Brian O’Driscoll joked when asked about his and Amy Huberman’s first Christmas as parents with their baby daughter Sadie. The Ireland rugby star made the news earlier in the week over more serious matters after his father Frank O’Driscoll revealed fears for his son’s long-term health following a career plagued by concussions and blows to the head
“I gave him a brief run-down on where Ireland is situated now.” Enda Kenny speaking after an off-the-cuff meeting with American Vice President Joe Biden in Tokyo. The Taoiseach reminded Biden about their long-standing “date” to play a round of golf in the West of Ireland. During Kenny’s cordial trip, it was announced that Japan had agreed to lift its ban on Irish beef imports – first imposed in 2000 due to the outbreak of BSE – with immediate effect. The move could be worth €15million a year to the Irish economy
“At this stage ratings don’t matter. The fact that it’s being shown on BBC on Christmas [Day] is amazing. It’s the BBC letting everyone know it’s their biggest comedy offering at Christmas.” Sitcom star Rory Cowan, who performs alongside Brendan O’Carroll in Mrs Brown’s Boys, said the team weren’t concerned with ratings for this year’s festive episode. The show will go up against ITV’s Downton Abbey on December 25. Both programmes were major hits last year, with O’Carroll’s show drawing 11.2m viewers, ahead of Downton’s 10.3m